NBA Legend Urges Denver Nuggets to Honor Carmelo Anthony

Former Denver Nuggets star Chauncey Billups wants the franchise to recognize Carmelo Anthony

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Carmelo Anthony looks on in the first half between France and Canada in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets finally won their first championship in franchise history in 2023, but that does not mean they were a bad team up until that point. The Nuggets have had some incredible players come through Denver, including multiple Hall of Famers.

One of the most notable players in Nuggets history has been Carmelo Anthony, who spent his first eight-and-a-half seasons in Denver en route to a 19-year Hall of Fame NBA career. Through his Nuggets tenure, Anthony made four All-Star appearances, four All-NBA honors, and even finished sixth in MVP voting in the 2009-10 season.

The Denver Nuggets were 17-65, and missed the playoffs for the 8th straight year.

Then they drafted Carmelo Anthony.

They made the playoffs for the next 8 years.pic.twitter.com/6dDh5dlyPs

— CTRL the Narrative (@ctrlnarrative) February 2, 2024

In the 2008-09 season, a star duo of Anthony and Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets to a Western Conference Finals appearance, which was their third in franchise history at the time. However, no player on that team has been rightfully recognized by the organization.

Billups urges the Nuggets to recognized Anthony

In a recent interview with Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Billups called out the Nuggets for not putting Anthony's jersey in the rafters.

"They should have retired Melo’s jersey the year after he retired,” Billups said. “Once he retired, I said, ‘All right, cool. He’s done now. He won’t play another game. It is time.’ And so, to me, it is already too late. That should have been the first order of business in terms of retiring Melo’s jersey just because I know exactly what he meant to the organization.”

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Carmelo Anthony performs before a men’s basketball quarterfinal game between the United States and Brazil during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Of course, it could be too late now. Anthony's famous No. 15 jersey has already been taken over by Nikola Jokic, who has cemented himself as the greatest player in franchise history. Now, when the Nuggets put that number in the rafters, it will say "Jokic" instead of "Anthony." Of course, the organization can still figure out a way to rightfully recognize both of them.

“Melo is one of the greatest players in the history of the franchise,” Billups continued. “Obviously, there are so many guys that came before us that were great players. And obviously, there was Joker [Jokic] that came after all of us. But Melo is one of the best players in the history of the franchise. I’m still in Denver, and all the fans and the people I know still appreciate him. They love him.”

Carmelo Anthony receives his HOF jacket and ring from his son, Kiyan 🙌

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/KloWKCWzXd

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 6, 2025

Now that Anthony has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, it is a perfect time for the Nuggets to find a way to recognize him, but it is certainly more challenging now that Jokic has donned No. 15 and made it his own.